BERLIN, May 8 (Xinhuanet)-- German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer said in comments published Saturday that those responsible for abusing Iraqi prisoners must be punished.

    The torture of stripped and hooded Iraqi prisoners, as shown in photos circulated around the world, is "horrible and repulsive," the weekly Der Spiegel quoted Fischer as saying.

    "Those responsible for the disgrace and mistreatment must be investigated and punished," Fisher said.

    The minister made the remarks ahead of a visit on Monday to Washington to meet US Secretary of State Colin Powell and NationalSecurity Advisor Condoleezza Rice.

    He declined to say whether he would raise the issue of human rights violation with US officials, despite mounting pressure in Berlin for him to comment on the scandal in Washington.

    Germany's human rights commissioner, Claudia Roth, said "the topic must be addressed loudly."

    "It is not about interference, but about international law," the commissioner added. Enditem